It’s also one they argue needs to be addressed now: exceptionally high E. coli levels in the Middle Shuswap River.“We’ve got tests that show that E. coli is off the charts,” said Bee Safe founder Huguette Allen. “They couldn’t even calculate it. It was over 2,420.”The World Health Organization says most E. coli strains are harmless, but some can cause serious food poisoning.about E. coli, including having a mandated zero count of E. coli per 100 ml in drinking water.
“It’s really disappointing to go from saying ‘this is one of the cleanest rivers’ to ‘I should be careful when I’m swimming,’” said Cherryville resident Claude Labine. Unlike the water in the Middle Shuswap River of late, Bee Safe says what’s happening is crystal clear. She says agricultural byproducts like manure are supposed to be regulated by the province, but says local concerns have fallen on deaf ears.